Kenya’s Treasury Secretary Reverses Stance on Junior Secondary School Teacher Employment

In a surprising turn of events, Kenya’s Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, has announced that there is indeed money available to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. This U-turn comes after Mbadi previously stated that the government had no funds to employ the 20,000 teachers.

During a recent press conference, Mbadi acknowledged that he was ill-informed about the budget and apologized for any anxiety caused by his earlier statement. “Those who are saying there is money in the budget for JSS teachers are right. I am wrong and there is nothing with saying I am wrong,” he said.

According to Mbadi, the conversion to permanent terms, set to take effect in January 2025, has already been budgeted for. He emphasized that Sh22 billion has been allocated for this purpose. The Treasury Secretary also clarified that while there may be a cash crunch in the exchequer, it would not affect the teachers’ salaries from January onwards.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been informed of the changes, and the National Treasury has issued a statement assuring Kenyans that funds have been allocated for the employment of JSS teachers on permanent and pensionable terms starting January 2025.

This development brings relief to the thousands of teachers who were previously uncertain about their employment status. The government’s decision to allocate funds for their employment is a significant step towards ensuring the stability of the education sector in Kenya.